Tag: life

Most Likes

So on April 20th, on the day after my 5th anniversary with WordPress, I also received the most likes on a single post in a single day. 14 likes. It’s crazy. Likes can vary from post to post but to put that in perspective, my posts typically receive 14 likes in their lifetime. If you go through my blog, posts that have been there months or even years have typically 13 to 14 likes. My posts from 5 years ago? Most have zero likes, the best typically had one. What was I writing at the time? Back then, I had word of the days and poetry commentary (if I even chose to comment on it). It was around May that I started to expand my writing and try to have some semblance of my own thoughts and it is around this time I started getting more than a couple likes on my posts. A like back then feels just as good as it does now and with my blog growing, it is satisfying to take a look back every once in a while. Some of you have been with me since the very beginning and I do notice, I see your likes pop up time and time again and I appreciate the support; I may not call anyone out individually, but as a blogger it’s gratifying to know that whatever I post, you are following me for me and not a persona I would like people to believe I am. There is a reason my domain is my name.

On the back-end, I do enjoy combing over the stats. Typically after a post, I check each day to see the views and the comments left. I see what content people prefer and do my best to meet demand (I actually have no idea what demand is). Another favorite of mine as far as data is concerned is looking at the map to see where the views are coming from. While the majority of views come from the US, at this point my blog has been seen by many nations throughout the world. And that’s what I love about blogging. Is, for every barrier we put up, we often find we have more in common than we do not.

My most popular posts seem to be my update posts. Clunky at first, like a fine wine they have only gotten better over time. And they’re fun to write. As I sit in my room, sipping my cup of coffee, I’m in a state of pure bliss.

Each like helps support the blog, each follow helps grow the community. Part of my content restructuring involves ideas for long term growth. What happens when the blog surpasses 150 followers? 200? 500? And then finally, 1000? Honestly, I don’t expect much to change. The benefit of having more followers is a larger community. I’ve been talking primarily about likes but another aspect I’ve enjoyed is comments. At the moment, very few comment on my posts but when I started, no one commented on my post. As the blog grows, I expect an influx in comments and I’m looking forward to it. All in all, it’s an exciting time for this blog.

And that’s it! Remember, if you like my content, share it with your friends or give it a shout out on social media! The more traffic the site can get, the better. And remember to check out my Patreon and Ko-fi! I’m steadily improving both, so please take a look and provide your feedback! I can add tiers for Patreon and set goals for Ko-fi, so let me know what you’d like! Below is the link:

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Looking to contact me via email? Click below:

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Thanks for reading and feel free to comment below!

Anniversary Post

Yesterday was my Five year anniversary with WordPress! Typically I pay no mind but half a decade on the same platform is no joke! I remember when I first started, few views and no followers. I’d post and back then, I saw it more of a journal; never did I expect to grow a following. It’s taken five years but the blog is close to one hundred and fifty strong. I’ve never focused too much on promotion. I simply write and people come. That is beginning to shift as the Pandemic has upended a lot of my prior priorities and made me rethink life. The blog will always be around but I want it to gain wider traction in the coming years. As mentioned previously, I took a step back to rethink content, structure, and flow; slowly but surely that is coming to fruition. Part of my strategy is simply to mention to share the content if you like what you read and to subscribe to my Patreon or buy me a cup of coffee per post. I generate a little money via ad revenue but not enough to offset the cost of maintaining the blog. Profit? That has always been a dream. I’ve branched my writing to gain more exposure to my craft and in time, the landscape of my professional career will look drastically different. Writing has been my one constant. Wherever life has taken me, my blog has followed. It provides an inner peace and calm like I’ve never experienced before and I still remember how scared I was when I first started. Now, I simply type, edit, and publish.

My blog is increasingly growing more important from a career perspective. As of today, I have quit my job at the Call Center. Two Years of work and I had to trust my gut; it’s a strange feeling. I spent years building a safety net and the net has caught me, for now. This was the first major life decision I made in a very long time. It’s easy to stay, the tough part is knowing when to leave. During the middle of a Pandemic? Risky but necessary. I am retaking control of my narrative and course correcting. I’m happy to know I can do what’s right for myself and still believe in a better tomorrow.

Part of my plan for the blog was finding a way to put the why back into what I do. Why do I write? Why is a question everyone must ask. It’s the question I kept asking myself at the Call Center. If you don’t ask why, then one day you’ll wake up and realize you’re exactly where you were years ago. I forgot how to ask and took too much grace in listening to others rather than listening to myself. Thanks for sticking around this long and here’s to another 5 years!

If you want to support this blog; like, comment, and follow! Also, share! If you want to offer further support, below is a link to my Patreon and Ko-fi accounts!

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If you would like to reach out regarding collaborations, feel free to contact me directly through my email!

Contact me!!!

And as always, feel free to leave comments below; I read them all!

Shattered

The waves broke and the reflection remained

The tide shifting, gently.

The sand dampened and the sun began to set

Footprints disappearing on a beach long forgotten.

Snow gently fell and the soft Ocean breeze turned frigid

The water froze, briefly.

When the air warmed, the reflection began to show its cracks.

And when he went to touch his reflection, he no longer felt the gentle waves.

Instead, he felt the cold, frigid water as his reflection shattered.

The Passion Dilemma

A title written, never finished. Perhaps, now, a fitting time to add words to a page and bring an article to life. As part of my ongoing project, I’m taking old posts never published and breathing new life into them.

This article was started October 24th, 2017 and the last timestamp shows 10:49pm And given the title, it’s fitting. A question without an answer and in fact, the question that produces more and more questions than it ever has answers.

A little while back I wrote “The Happiness Equation” as an update post to simply put thoughts to paper and try to make sense of my ever changing world. A reflection piece and one that I’ve since reflected upon.

As I translate my jumbled thoughts, a clear picture begins to emerge and while it’s still incomplete, it’s better than what I had before.

In a matter of speaking, I hit the emergency brake while I was still driving.

I let the stepping stones sink into the shallows of the river for one last glimpse of childhood and I’m glad. I’m not ready to drop my flame just yet, the real question is figuring out how brightly it burns and where.

Career wise, I’m in a good spot. I’ve moved laterally within my organization and my role is keeping my life fresh. I’m slowly learning to relax and take a breath.

My career goals have become increasingly a checklist. Every time I talk, it sounds like I’m trying to tick my box. Good or bad? Hard to say but I need to chill. My lifelong problem has been I always try to skip a few steps. I see point A and point B but tend to miss everything in between. So now it’s time to deconstruct and analyze. No more talk about College and where I was, the conversation must turn to where I am.

So, where am I? My passion is I enjoy helping others. I love the process of learning and sharing to those who might find what I have to say interesting. Outside of that, I can’t really say who I am. Writing as a hobby? Great. Photography? Enjoyable when I get out and take photos. I learn skills only to see no end, the constant acquisition of progress for the sake of progress. I stay relevant for the sake of being relevant and that is concerning. I said my career was a checklist when in reality it applies to my life as a whole.

I keep building and then breaking, to what end? Instead of thriving, I am simply struggling to survive. I can’t find my “why” even if it hit me across the face. Perhaps I’ve reached a point of insanity, trying the same thing over and over again expecting different results yet I keep trying.

I change the angle and still see the same road. I will be the first to admit I am broken and where once I repaired, now I begin to fracture. And that’s the beauty of life, riding the highest highs and lowest lows. The fact that my heart feels ready to burst at any moment and spread its warmth like confetti all over my cubicle is a good thing. It means I’ve stepped outside of my comfort zone. Too fast? Too soon? Too Much? Ain’t that always the case.

My anxiety has ensnared me and I wonder as the chains break, that they weren’t holding the foundation underneath. I’ve been short of breath and my body wants to freeze, however, I’m not going to let it. My list is ever growing shorter and the page is about to flip unto a new chapter. As I learned in cross country: strength, confidence, and desire. I haven’t come this far only to fail now.

I am learning to trust once more and opening my heart (queue the eye rolls). No more paranoia and no more fear. I breathe and feel my heart beat, and if I’m alive, I can move forward. One step, one foot, slowly (if only, I’m running at this point), and with a map in hand. I now know where I’m headed and where I need to go.

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed my content. It’s been ages since I’ve finished an article and am glad I can hit the “schedule post” button for this one. A fun little ramble as I go through my life and try not to vibe “hot mess”. Next month I’ll try to have one article published regarding mental health and the topic I’ve picked is anxiety. When will that be? God only knows. Outside of that, expect more poems and short stories sprinkled throughout the year as I reach the next chapter in my life and after I’ve had some time to swallow a few more chill pills.

cheers!

– Mike